Atlanta Braves to build new stadium, will be ready for 2017 season

Atlanta Braves to build new stadium, will be ready for 2017 season

Turner Field in Atlanta

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves announced Monday they will build a new baseball stadium and it will be ready for the 2017 season.

The 42,000-seat, $672 million stadium will be built in northwest Atlanta. The project will start in 2014 and will be financed by the Braves and Cobb County, the Major League Baseball team said at a news conference.

Braves executives John Schuerholz, Mike Plant and Derek Schiller said Monday that the team decided not to seek another 20-year lease at Turner Field and began talks with the Cobb Marietta Coliseum and Exhibit Hall Authority in July.

The new stadium will move the Braves from Turner Field, which was originally built as the main track-and-field stadium for the 1996 Olympics.

Schiller says financing will come from the Braves and the Cobb County government. The team will be responsible for any cost overruns.

“Our new location will give us the opportunity to develop the surrounding area of the new ballpark, transforming it into a mixed use, 365-day destination and creating an enhanced atmosphere for our fans during Braves games. There will also be significantly increased access to the site, enhanced parking opportunities, and, generally, easier access to and from major roadways with a variety of other transportation options.”